A whimsical, beloved Audubon Zoo carousel — once a staple of the zoo that featured exotic animals from flamingos to alligators — is back in the spotlight, but not in the way anyone expected.
The carousel was removed in 2022 after it sustained significant damages from Hurricane Ida, and now the ride is up for auction.
The fan-favorite ride, dedicated to the Gottesman family in 2003, was known for its beautifully carved seats featuring endangered animals — ranging from alligators and giraffes and to flamingos and rhinos. Before it was installed, the zoo had a traditional horse carousel.
Over the years, the ride became more than just a ride; it was a reminder of the importance of wildlife conservation efforts.
Following the structural, mechanical and electrical damage caused by Ida's landfall, the carousel was dismantled and sent off for repairs in September 2022.
It never came back.
"The cost for repairing it was incredibly high," Melissa Lee, Audubon's Vice President of Communications, said.
The Gottesman Family Endangered Species Carousel is a popular attraction at Audubon Zoo in New Orleans. (File photo by Susan Poag, Digital Roux Photography)
The old carousel is currently being auctioned off online, with bids starting at $225,000. The ride is already disassembled and comes in three separate shipping containers, all 40 feet long.
In total, the carousel has 62 pieces, including other animals like gorillas, frogs, jaguars, pandas, zebras, white tigers, elephants, lions, horses, orangutans and camels.
The auction closes this Friday.
Audubon Zoo plans to replace the ride later this year with a smaller, indoor carousel, Lee said, designed to protect it and to prevent any future damage. The new ride will also feature endangered species.
"What is really cool about the new one that we're going to get, is that it's going to feature endangered species that we actually have in our collection at Audubon Zoo," Lee said.
"So you will be riding an animal in the carousel and you can go see that very animal at the zoo."
